Are wrongful death and homicide charges the same thing?

When an individual dies due to the actions or conduct of another person,
the surviving party may be charged with a crime related to the deceased
party's death. Depending upon the type of conduct that the surviving
individual engaged in his charges may be relatively minor or may include
multiple serious offenses. In Montana and other jurisdictions throughout
the country a party may face homicide or murder charges if he is responsible
for causing the death of another person.

However, not every death results from a murder and the law distinguishes
between true crimes and other instances where deaths are accidental or
unintended. Since many homicide charges require parties to intend to commit
murders in order for the charges to be proven, if a party simply engages
in negligent behavior that results in a death then it is possible that
his actions may not support a murder charge.

If a person dies but it is not a homicide, the surviving relatives of the
deceased party may still have recourse against the individual or individuals
who caused their loved one to lose his life. While homicide charges are
handled by the criminal court system, wrongful death claims are civil
claims that private parties can file on their own for the recovery of
damages related to their losses.

A
wrongful death is a death caused by negligence or recklessness. It is often a preventable
death, and it is not uncommon for wrongful death claims to be made in
the wakes of fatal car, motorcycle and aviation accidents. A wrongful
death claim may be brought by certain members of a deceased individual's
family so that they may pursue compensation for the devastating losses
they experienced when they lost their loved one. To begin a wrongful death
lawsuit, readers may wish to consult with their Montana-based personal
injury attorneys to discuss their cases.

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Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.